âWe know that there are a lot of people coming to Nova Scotia who are interested in cycling but information is hard to come by,â Ben Buckwold said Monday. âWe wanted to fill that information gap.â

Details about cycling routes are difficult to find online, and some information is outdated. So BNS has created a website and map series to highlight five routes, paired with travel information.

On the Annapolis Valley route you can sample wineries, orchards, breweries and historical sites. While peddling the Northumberland Shore you will skirt coastlines and pull-in fishing villages.

âWe wanted to pair up good cycling routes with good food and good drinks and interesting attractions,â said Buckwold. âThatâs a little glimpse of what we have now, and that doesnât speak to the potential that Nova Scotia has.â

About 40,000 visitors per year â or two per cent of all tourists â cycle while theyâre in Nova Scotia, according to the Nova Scotia Tourism Agency (NSTA).

âOne of our key markets is outdoor enthusiasts who appreciate local culture and cuisine after a day of adventures, such as cycling,â said NSTA CEO Patrick Sullivan. âWeâre working to provide them with a variety of coastal cycling experiences including low-traffic roads and multi-use trails.â

The figures on cycling tourists come from the 2010 Visitor Exit Survey, which doesnât specify whether tourists were planning to cycle or spontaneously decided to rent a bike to see some of the sites.

âWe donât know as much as weâd like to,â said Buckwold.

Either way, he said BNS will expand its map series, charting other routes, and enticing more bike tourism.

NSTA is supporting the project with $30,000 under the Tourism Development Investment: Competitive Edge Program.